Mooring Buoy Pick-up Devices

[Ubergeekian]

But the idea is that it is just to hold you temporarily until you secure a line to the buoy ring in the normal way. No way would I leave the boat permamently secured with a lasso.

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense.

 

[snowleopard]

There is one set of moorings in the Solent where all the sailing schools praciced their lassoing technique. The owners were trying to stop them because it knackered the buoys.

For those struggling with the dash to the bows while mooring solo, just a reminder of what I said earier - rig a line from the bows back to the cockpit, bring the buoy alongside there, thread the line through the ring and walk forward pulling taking in the line as you go.

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Cor!

I confess that I am saving up for a Davey & Co "Grabit".

A mere £175 ...

"Shiny"

 

[Tidewaiter2]

I agree!

The best auto-hook device is the ridiculously-named Handy Duck, which is incredibly robust and works simply and effectively. I wouldn't be without mine. The website has a demonstration video and a copy of the YM test which rated it a Premium Product.

A Handyduck is better than having a Relate Counsellor in a rib , 4 metres off your port qtr!
Must confess to a cheapo plastic threader on the big boothook too, just in case the ring is too big!

Not that i'm paranoid/anal, but this Spring's splicing project is 1m of 10mm chain, spliced into 4m tails of octiplait- Alderney in a NE swell, eat yer heart out- i'm calling it 'ChafebeGone'?

 

[DownWest]

Agree, but most times at the event one was sharing a buoy, often going up between boats. So getting the buoy alongside the helm was not an option. Fenders were not optional...
A

 

[dunedin]

A range of views, isn't it horses for courses though?

Absolutely right - factors that can influence the reply include (not exhaustively)
- height of freeboard of the boat
- type of buoy (or pontoon cleat) aiming to be collected
- number and strength of crew
Hence not surprising the range of answers

Our current boat hs a reasonably high freeboard.

If two or more on board, and going for a buoy with pickup, then it is straight up to the buoy and lift pickup with conventional boathook. Job done (except for mad boat design which doesn't allow space to bring pickup buoy through, so sometimes unsplice / resplice!)

For the buoys without pickups (eg Loch Ranza for Clyde types), particularly if singlehanded, then it is a bit more considered
- reverse up to buoy with mooring line pre-rigged to bow
- grap buoy with boathook (harnessed on if single handed)
- thread rope with moorfast
- pause for breath and tidy up moored stern to
- flip rope to front and tie off

Not RYA standard, but beats hanging over the bows being held by the ankles

 

[Cape of Storms]

A lasso is as you describe - very useful, but should be strictly a method to secure the boat very temporarily while you get a permanent line on.

A Moorfast works well for us, but if there is no ring on the buoy, a lasso is handy.

That's a useful technique especially when trying to pick up a buoy in current, which can be quite difficult with a boathook which is what I use. Will use this next time I have the opportunity, thanks.

 

[cliff]

I use a Bosco boat hook - even SHMO usually manages to catch the mooring first time. once attached one has all the time needed to fix other mooring warps. Departing is easy - remove all other warps, ease the tension on the Bosco line and pull the release cord.

 

[prv]

if anyone has used it I'd like to know.

You sell the thing and you've never used it?

Come on, how thick do you think we are? Your only other post is offering the things for sale.

Pete

 

[pvb]

You sell the thing and you've never used it?

Come on, how thick do you think we are? Your only other post is offering the things for sale.

Oh dear, another commercial post! However, I think Mr Karambelas deserves some credit for that ridiculous video.

 

[Boo2]

If you see a green braided line with a fairly hairy sheath and a yellow core at a boat jumble - grab a hank, it's very useful stuff.

Sorry for the dumb question, but what is it useful for ?

Boo2

 

[PetiteFleur]

I bought one of the various clip-a-carabiner-to-the-end-of-the-boathook devices. Rarely need it as buoys tend to have pickup strops round here, and the one time I did try to use it I couldn't get the carabiner through the plain shackle on top of the buoy.

It has, however, turned out to be a vital component of my technique for returning to my home pontoon singlehanded

Pete

I had one of those large carabiner type hooks which you clip to the end of the boat hook - works OK BUT not at all easy to unclip it from the deck!! - so I got rid of it and got a moorfast which does work well, there is a knack to tieing the heavier roap to the lighter rope (I use a sheet bend) SWMBO steers whilst I stand at the sharp end, works for us

 

[JohnGC]

There is one set of moorings in the Solent where all the sailing schools praciced their lassoing technique. The owners were trying to stop them because it knackered the buoys.

.

Do you know how the buoys were being damaged?

 

[forelle541]

The Happy Hooker is probably the best and strongest pick up device, if expensive.

 

[tokoloshe]

I was single handing a small boat at a festival, where the moorings envolved strong tides and winds. One chose the target, but had to drop the helm and lurch forward to grab the bouy, not easy. So I made up a big snap hook that lives in a slide on the boat hook with the 'closer' held back by a a wire clip. ( I have to admit some 'influence' by a product)
Magic- I aim to get the bouy slightly off the weather bow, then reach out and snag it with the 'hook'. It has a tail that is secured to the forward cleat. Once grabbed, I can look to dropping the sails and other stuff. Later, I run a mooring line that can be let off from the helm position.
A

Only negative: once on, you have to get up to the bouy to release it. The threading ones avoid this.

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I purchased a similar stainless steel carbide hook from "SaltyJohn" in Preston.

I use with an eight foot yard broom shaft from a local farm supplies company.

Simple construction and easy to use.